Obituary – Roland Dupuis passes away at the age of 82

Roland DupuisFebruary 13, 1936– June 12, 2018Roland Dupuis was born on February 13, 1936 in McLennan to parents Thomas Dupuis and Irène Guay. He married Annette Gervais on November 5, 1956 and they had six children within the next eight years: Hilda (Archie), Michel, Normand (Louise), Doris (Bernard), Suzanne, and Carmen (Jeff).

Roland started out as a trucker but he spent 35 years as a grader operator for the MD of Smoky River, a job that he enjoyed. He loved to drive any type of machinery: cars, trucks, snowmobiles, boats, tractors, bulldozers, grain-carts, back-hoes, etc. He was mechanically inclined and a problem solver. Born in a different era, he may have become an engineer.

Throughout his life, Roland valued family life. When his children were young, family activities were his priority. For this reason, he took them snowmobiling, camping, boating, fishing, and even bought them a monkey! As his children grew older and he became a grandfather, he enjoyed playing various games with his children and grandchildren. Many of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren had the chance to go fishing, waterskiing and tubing with their pépère at the helm of his boat. He always loved farm work so after he retired, he spent a lot of time at Hilda and Archie’s farm, making drainage ditches and driving the grain-cart during harvest, a job he continued until the age of 80 years old.

A little over two years ago, Roland was diagnosed with cancer. Then, a year ago, he broke his leg in a car accident. Thankfully, he was able to continue camping last summer despite these challenges. As his cancer spread, he lost the ability to speak, was partially paralysed, and had to be hospitalised at the McLennan Hospital, where he had wonderful care. Throughout these ordeals, he remained focused on regaining the use of his legs and was very proud when this was achieved, albeit temporarily. He had an incredible resiliency and rejoiced in small victories. He lost his struggle with cancer on June 12, 2018. His wife, his five children and their spouses, his seventeen grand-children, his twelve great grand-children, his other family members and his many friends will miss him.